Wife: Father of ex-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords dies

TUCSON — Family members say the father of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has died at age 77.

The wife of Spencer Giffords tells the Arizona Daily Star (http://bit.ly/RlI6Cc ) that he had been suffering from a number of health issues before he passed away Saturday.

Gloria Giffords says her husband suffered both physically and emotionally after his daughter was wounded during a shooting rampage outside of a Tucson supermarket in January 2011.

Spencer Giffords attended a ceremony at the University of Arizona earlier this year that marked the one-year anniversary of the shooting. He watched with pride as his daughter recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Spencer Giffords was born in New York City and grew up in Tucson. After college he took over his father’s tire business, which he later handed over to Gabrielle Giffords before she oversaw the sale of the company to Goodyear Tire.

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